Automobile construction.



C. L. WALKER.-

AUTOMOBILE CONSTRUCTION; APPLwATIo HLBD Dnc. 1a, 190s.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

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(wi/Mmm ummm l I G. L. WALKER.

lAUTOMOBILE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1909. 1,048,770. Patented DGG.31,11912.

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c. L. WALKER.

AUTOMOBILE CQNSTBUGTION.

APPLIuATIon FILED 9110.18, 1900.

1,048,770.'l Patetea Dec. 3311-1912.'

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Stfoznup UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

CHARLES L. WALKER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 JAMES W. LUCAS, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE CONSTRUCTION.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. WALKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in t-he county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented cer- -Whereby both the forward and rear wheels are dirigible so that either end of the truck may be swung from a straight path inde pendently.

The invention consists in t-he matters hereinafter set fortlnand more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and part-l in section of an automobile that embodies eatures of the invention;`vFig. 2 is a plan view of a chassis with the bodyvor loading platform removed and parts of the steering gear omitted, the wheels being in alined position; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the wheels in angu-l lar position; and Fig. 4, is a view in detail in section of a portion of a drive mechanism. Referring to the drawings a main frame 1 ofv thechassis of any preferred'and suitable construction, is pivotally supported at each end by fifth wheels 2 and king-bolts indicated at 3, on platform springs 4 of any standard yconventional construction. T he springs are mounted on the outer stationary members 5 of differential drive axles.

A main drive shaft 6 is journaled transversely below the frame and centrally between t-he axles in suitably arranged and designedlvhangers 7 and is driven by any suitable motor, as for example, an explosive engine'S of the double opposed two-cylinder type which is directly coupled to the shaft and is supported on the under sideofythe Specification of Letters Patent. l

Application filed December 18, 1909.

Patented Dec. 31, 1 91 2.

serial No. 533,912.

main frame 1. Drive sprockets 9 on the shaft (S are each connected lby a chain 10 with annuhu-'sprocket gears 11. Each ofthe latter is swivelcd on pintles 12 of a gimbal ring 13 that is pivotally connect-ed by pins 14 atright angles to the pintles 12, that extend from an inner ball or member 15 rigidly secured to one arm 16 of a two-part differential driving shaft of standard type mounted in the outer axle 5 which carries the platform springs. Differential gearing of any preferred type indicated at 17 transmits power applied to the arm 1G by the sprocket to tract-ion bearing wheels 18 secured to the ends of the respective differential drive shafts.' Such ditferential'driving mechanism, including both gearing and axles, are not shown herein, as they do not per se form a part of the invention and may be constructed in any of various ways common in the art of self propelled vehicles.

The sprockets 11 are each held in the plane of rotation vertical to the main drive shaft (3 by radius yokes whose divergent arms 19 are cach pivoted attheir inner ends to the hangers T and are connected at their other ends rigidly to a easing or housing Q0 which incluses the rim of the sprocket and has inturned inner annular flanges 21 forming raceways for bearing balls 22 on which the rim of the sprocket 11 rotates, a center web 23 Openings indicated at 24 are formed in the casing periphery to afford clearance for the driving chains. The members of the radius yokes may be of any preferred suitable construction. As shown herein in preferred form thecasing consists of oppositely disposed sections connectf ed -by bolts 25 through the flanges and provided with outwardly extending divergent lugs 9.6 to which the arms 19 are connected as by bolts 27 or the like.

Hounds 2S are each connected' at their outer extremities to the outer portions of the wheel axles and are unitedl at their inner ends by suitable heads 29. The latter are each centrally and longitudinally apertured and have sliding .engagement with pins 30, whose inner ends are pivotally connected to sleeves 31. A pair of transverse screw-threaded steering shafts 32 are journaled in the hangers 7 and each has screw-threaded engagement with one of the sleeves 31.v

A steering wheel post 33 is mounted on the forward end of the truck body andan inner steering wheel shaft 34 with a tubular wheel shaft 35 lare concentricallv journaled therein. A hand wheel 36 on the inner shaft and a second hand Wheel. 37 on the outer shaft afford means for independently turning them andare so disposed that they may be readilygripped simultaneously to i admit of their simultaneousrotation by the operators hands. One of the steering shafts 32 is connected through a pair of bevel gears 38, tumbling rod 39, shaft 40 and gears 4-1 with the st eering wheel tubular shaft 35 and the other steering shaft is similarly connected with the shaft through bevel gears 42, tun'lblin-g rod 43, shaft Lll and bevel gears 45, eachof the tumbling rods being coupled to its respective shaft by a universal joint indicated at 46. The steering post is also adapted to support the motor cont-rol levers-which are not indicated herein and the usual change gear and-'brake mechanisms are shown diagraxnmatically at 48. A radiator 49'is, secured on the front of the car body.

Bythis arrangement of parts power from tion, may be made without departing'from the spirit of they invention and l do not care to limit myself to'any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I'claim as myinventi n is 1..In an automobile, a frai e, a pair of angularly'movable axles on which the frame is yieldingly supported, a two-part differentially connected drive shaft j o-urnaled in each axle, traction bearing wheels secured 0n the shaft, a gimbal ballseeured on one member of each drive shaft,a gimbal ring pivoted on each ball, an annular sprocket pi'voted on the ring and arranged to form therewith and with the ball a gimbal connection with the drive shaft, radius yokes connected to the frame, housings secured on the yokes in which the sprockets are'journaled to rotate in a plane fixed in relation.

to the frame, a, motor suspended from the, frame between the axles, driving connections, between'the sprockets and motor, a steering-wheelpost on the frame, a pair ofsteering-wheel-shafts journaled in the post, hand wheels lon the steering-wheelshafts 1n juxtaposition and operative connections between the steering-wheel-shafts and the aXles.

. 2. In an automobile, a frame, a pair of angularly movable axles on which the frame .is yieldingly supported, a two-part differentially connected drive shaft jo-urnaled in each axle, traction lbearing wheels secured `on the shafts, a gimbal ball secured'on one member of each drive shaft, a gimbal ring pivoted on each ball, an annular sprocket pivoted on the ring and arranged t0 form therewith and with thefball a gimbal connection with the drive shaft, radius yokes connected to the frame, with housings secured on the yokes in which the sprockets are journaled to'rotate in a plane fixed in relation to the frame, a main drive4 shaft journaled in hangersl between the drive shaft parallel to the axes of rotation of the sprockets, a motor rotating the drive shaft, sprocket and chain connections between the drive shaft and gimbal sprockets, a steering wheel post on theframe, a pairof steering-l wheel-shafts journaled concentrically in the post and each operatively connected to an axle and a pair' of hand wheels on the shafts in juxtaposition.

3. ln an aut-omoblle, a frame, a pair of angularly movable axleslon which the frame is yieldingly supported, a two-part differentially connected drive shaft journaled in each axle,traction bearing wheels secured on the shafts,l a gimbal ball secured on one member of eachl drive shaft, agimbal ring a pivoted on each ball, an annular sprocket.

pivoted on the ring and arranged to form therewith and with the ball a gimbal connection with the drive shaft, radius yokes. connected to the frame, and annular housings secured on the inner ends of the yokes in which vthe sprockets are journaled to r0- tate in a plane fixed in relation to the chassis, a main drive shaft yjournaled inA hangers between the drive shafts parallel to the axes of rotation of the sprockets, a motor rotating the drive shaft, sprocket and chain 'connection between the drivey shaft and gimbal sprockets, a pair of screw-threaded steering shafts journaled in the hangers, hound frames connected at their. outer ends tothe axles-and provided 'at their inner ends with sleeves eachA in' is yieldingly supported,a two-part differentially connected drive shaft journaled Vin each a'xle, traction bearing wheels secured on the shafts, a gimbal ball secured on one member of each drive shaft, a gimbal ring pivoted on each ball, an annular sprocket pivoted on the ring and arranged to form therewith and with the balla gimbal connection with the drive shaft, radius yokes connected to the frame, housings secured on the yokes in which the sprockets are journaled to rotate in a plane fixed in relation 'to the chassis, a main drive shaft journaled in hangers between the drive shafts parallel to the axes of rotation of the sprockets, a motor rotating the drive shaft, sprocket and chain connections between the drive shaft andgimbal sprockets, a pair of screwthreaded steering shafts journaled in t-he hangers, hound frames connected at their outer ends to the axles andp'rovided at their inner ends with sleeves each in screw-- threadetfengagement with a steering shaft, a tumbling` rod geared to each steering shaft, a steering wheel post on the frame, a pair of steering wheel shafts journaled concentrically `in the post, gears operatively7 connecting each tumbling' rod with a steering-wheel shaft anda steering wheel on each steering wheel shaft, the wheels being in juxtaposition for simultaneous manipulation.

5. In an automobile, a frame, a pairrof augularly movable axles supporting the frame, a differential drive shaft journaled on eaclraxle, traction bearing wheels on the shafts, a gimbal ball secured on one member of each drive shaft, a gimbal ring pivoted on each ball, an annular sprocket pivoted on the ring :ind arranged to form therewith and with the ball a gimbal connection with the drive shaft, radius yokes connected to the frame, housings secured on the yokes each provided-with marginal inturned flanges on 'which the inner faceI of the sprockets are journaled, a rib on the inner periphery of each sprocket extending between the flanges of the companion housing, a main drive shaft journaled between the differential shafts parallel t'o the axes of the rotation of the sprockets, a motor operating the main shaft, sprocket and chain connections between the main shaft and.

gimbal sprocket, a steering wheel post on the frame, a pair of steering-wheel-shafts concentrically journaled in the po/st, a tumbling rod extending from the lower end of each shaft toward the main drive shaft, a pair of screw threaded steering shaftsjournaled parallel to' the drive shaft, houndl `frames connected at 'theirI outer ends to the axles, and each provided at the other end with a sleeve in screwthreaded engagement with one of the screwthreaded shafts, bevel gears connecting one end of each tumbling rod with a screwthreaded shaft and bevel gears connecting the other end of each tumbling rod with a steering wheel shaft.

6. In an automobile, a frame, a pair of angular-ly movable axles supporting the frame, a differential drive shaft journaled on each axle, traction lbearing wheels on the shafts, a gimbal ball secured on one member of each drive shaft, a gimbal ring pivoted on each ball, an annular sprocket pivoted on the ring and arranged to form therewith and with the ball a gimbal connection with the drive shaft, radius yokes connected t0 the frame, housings secured on the yokes, a pair of inner peripheral flan son each housing on which t-he inner ace 'of the sprocket is journaled, a central rib on each sprocket extending between the housing flanges, bearing balls interposed between the sprockets and housings for which the said. flanges and ribs form race-ways, a main drive shaft journaled on the frame parallel to the axes of rotation'of the sprockets, a motor operating the drive shafts, sprocket and chain connections between the main shafts and gimbal sprockets, a steering wheel post on the frame, apair of steeringwheel-shafts concentrcally journaled in the,

post, a tumbling rod extending from the .lower end of each shaft toward the main drive shaft, a pair of screw threaded steering shafts journaled parallel to the drive shaft, hound frames connected at their outer ends to the axles, and each provided at the other end with a sleeve in screwthreaded engagement with one of the screwthreaded shafts, bevel gears connecting one end of each tumbling rod with a screwthreaded shaft and bevel ears connectingthe other end of each tum ling rod with a steering wheel shaft.

7. In an automobile, a frame, a pair vof angularly movable axles supporting the frame, a differential drive shaft journaled on each axle, traction bearin' wheels on the shafts, a motor,'a main sha journaled on the frame and driven by the motor, means operatively connecting the main shaft and differential shafts to rotate-the latter, a. steering wheel post on the frame, a pair of' steering wheel shafts concentrically journaled in the post, connections between each shaft and one of the axles forfswinging the latter, and hand wheels on the steeringwheel-shafts in juxtaposition for simultaf, neous manipulation. y In testimon whereof I affix my signature in presence vo two witnesses.

CHARLES-L. WALKER. Witnesses:

Lewis- E. FLANDEns, OTro F. BARTHEL. 

